Cigarette



Feb. 27, 1968 Kemer-u owAKl CIGARETTE Filed April 2o, 1965 Q q q 00000000 M000 000 00 .0000000000000000 000000000000 ,0000000000 000000000000 .000000000 000000000 0000000000 0000 000 000000 QOGAVQOQAVQVQ 0.00 0000000. 000000000000000000` O 0 0 0000. 000w0w00000 0 0 DAVDAVDODODAVDODODAVDODODA United States Patent O 3,370,593 CIGARETTE Kenichi Owaki, 508-4 Hayashishimomizo, Akashi-shi, Hyogo-ken, Fukiai-ku, Kobe, Japan Filed Apr. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 449,447 Claims priority, application Japan, Apr. 28, 1964, 39/24,067 Claims. (Cl. 131-15) ABSTRACT 0F 'Ii-IE DISCLUSURE A cigarette of tubular configuration having spaced bands of lireproof material havinghigh heat conductivity which bands are carried by intervening paper bands which may be individual or may constitute portions of a continuous cylinder of paper.

This invention relates to cigarettes and more specifically to a novel and improved cigarette wherein the tar component contained in the gases produced by the burning of the cigarette paper is minimized and consequently reduces possibly injury to the smoker upon inhalation of the smoke.

One object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and improved cigarette wherein the gases resulting from burning of the paper wrapper have a materially reduced tar content.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and improved cigarette.

The above and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings forming part of this application.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of a novel and improved cigarette in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of a modified embodiment of the invention.

FIGURES 3a, 3b and 3c are plan views of modified wrapper structures for use with cigarettes in accordance with the invention.

Referring now to the drawings and more specifically to FIGURE 1, the novel and improved cigarette is generally denoted by the numeral and comprises an outer tubular paper wrapper 11 that is filled with tobacco 12. The paper wrapper has a plurality of metal bands 13 of thin material secured to the inner surface of the wrapper 11 and spaced one from the other to provide a series of gaps 14. When the cigarette is lighted, the bands 13 of metal foil which may be of aluminum or other suitable material will not interfere with the normal burning of tobacco since the metal has very low mass even though it may have a relatively high heat conductivity. The utilization of the metal bands will minimize the amount of gas normally produced by the burning paper in a conventional cigarette and thereby materially reduce the quantity of tars inhaled by the smoker. In this way, injury to the smoker is reduced to a large extent. Furthermore, even though the foil bands 13 of aluminum or other material are nonammable, they may oxidize to some extent but will not produce injurious gases in the process. Since the 'bands 1?;r are spaced one from the other, the burnt ashes of the cigarette can be readily discarded as in the case of a conventional cigarette.

FIGURE 2 shows a modified cigarette structure in accordance with the invention and is generally denoted by the numeral 15. In this embodiment, the tobacco 12 is enclosed by an outer wrapper consisting of alternate overlapping bands of paper 16 and metal foil 1'7. It will be observed that the metal foil bands 17 are spaced one from the other as in the case of the structure shown in FIGURE l and they are connected together by the strips of paper 16 which in effect form gaps between adjoining metal foil bands 17 as in the case of the structure shown in FIGURE l. In this embodiment of the invention, the quantity of paper used in the outer wrapper is further reduced and accordingly the injurious gases produced by the burning paper are greatly minimized.

Other Wrapper constructions may also be utilized in the fabrication of the improved cigarette in accordance with the invention, and these modied wrappers are shown in FIGURES 3a, 3b and 3c. ln FIGURE 3a, the paper wrapper 11 may be provided with a series of diagonal strips 18 of thin metal foil which are separated one from the others to form intervening gaps 19. When this wrapper is applied to a cigarette, the bands 18 will form helices and perform in much the same manner as the bands illustrated and described in FIGURES 1 and 2. FIGURE 3b shows still another form of wrapper comprising a sheet of thin paper 11 with a layer of thin metal foil 2t) adhered to one surface thereof. The metal foil 29 is provided with a plurality of perforations 21. The wrapper structure shown in FIGURE 3c includes a layer of cigarette paper 11 which carries on its inner surface a plurality of small pieces of metal foil 22 which are spaced one from the others to provide small gaps therebetween.

In each of the embodiments of the invention discussed above, the metal foil can be adhered to the paper in any suitable manner.

From the foregoing description, it is evident that the improved wrapper structure for the tobacco which embodies metal foil materially reduces the amount of gas produced by the burning of the paper as compared to a conventional cigarette and thereby substantially minimizes the quantity of injurious gases inhaled by the smoker. Furthermore, since the metal foil utilized has relatively low mass, the heat absorption is low and the foil does not interfere with local burning. In addition, the separation of the burnt ashes from the cigarette is easily accomplished, and smoking of the cigarette in accordance with the invention affords the same feeling as the smoking of a conventional cigarette using a plain paper wrapper.

While only certain embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is apparent that alterations, modifications and changes may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit thereof as dened by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cigarette comprising an elongated tubular wrapper and tobacco filling said wrapper, said wrapper being formed of spaced bands of thin fireproof material having substantial heat conductivity connected by intervening bands of paper.

2. A cigarette according to claim 1 wherein said lireproof material is metal.

3. A cigarette according to claim 1 wherein said intervening bands of paper constitute a continuous cylinder extending throughout the length of the cigarette.

3 4. A cigarette according to claim 2 wherein the area of said metal bands is substantially greater than the area of the intervening bands of paper.

5. A cigarette according to claim 2 wherein said metal bands have a width at least three times the width of the intervening bands of paper.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 Weinberger 131-4 Seaman 131-4 Claussen 131-4 Swain 131-4 OSiel et al. 131-4 FOREIGN PATENTS ALDRICH F. MEDBERRY, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3 ,370,593 February 27 1968 Kenich Owak It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the heading to the printed specificaton, line 4, or "Hyogo-ken, Pukiai-ken, Kobe Japan" read Hyogo-kn,

apan

Signed and sealed this 20th day of May 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer Commissioner o ents 

